The Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) long-awaited, C$2.6 billion Line 6 Finch West LRT launched Dec. 7. Serving 16 light rail stops and two end-point stations along 6.4 miles (10.3 kilometers) of Finch Avenue West between Finch West Station on TTC’s Line 1 (Yonge-University) and Humber College Station on Humber Polytechnic’s North Campus, it will operate under “soft opening” conditions with trains running from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. until spring 2026, according to the transit agency.
In addition to connecting with TTC Line 1, Line 6 Finch West will link with TTC bus routes and regional transit services, including GO Transit, MiWay, York Region Transit and Brampton Züm.
Eighteen Alstom Citadis Spirit LRVs will operate during weekday morning and afternoon rush hours, with service every six and a half minutes; at all other times, including weekends, trains will arrive approximately every 10 to 12 minutes, according to TTC’s Nov. 24 announcement. This soft opening follows “the recommendations of the Ottawa LRT public inquiry,” the transit agency said, and “will provide the line’s maintainers, Mosaic Transit Group, with an extended maintenance window, allowing staff to become more familiar with the line and monitor it for any issues while in full revenue service.”
Between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., service will be provided by buses operating every 10 minutes, serving on-street LRT stops along the Finch West corridor. The TTC’s Blue Night bus service will operate after 1 a.m. until the start of train service at 6 a.m. Monday to Saturday, and 8 a.m. on Sundays.
TTC reported that the opening of Line 6 also means the names of two existing TTC stations will officially change: Eglinton West Station will become Cedarvale Station, and Dundas Station will become TMU Station.
Under agreements with line owner Metrolinx and the City of Toronto, TTC is responsible for operating trains, providing security and revenue control, and staffing stations for Line 6 Finch West. Mosaic Transit Group is responsible for maintaining the infrastructure and vehicles. Mosaic—a consortium of ACS Infrastructure Canada Inc., Aecon Concessions (a division of Aecon Construction Group Inc.), Alstom and CRH Canada Group Inc.—was awarded a DBFM (design, build, finance and maintain) contract in May 2018 by Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario.
Alstom manufactured the 100% low-floor Citadis LRVs at its Brampton, Ont., facility between 2020 and 2024, and tested them its Kingston, Ont., site. The 157.5-foot (48-meter) vehicles have a maximum operating speed of 37.2 MPH (60 KPH) and accommodate up to 300 passengers while being fully accessible for strollers and people with mobility needs. “The Citadis vehicle is designed for the Canadian market, capable of operating in winter conditions up to –38 degrees C (–36.4 degrees F),” Alstom noted. “They winterized to ensure operational performance, and optimize passenger comfort and experience with reinforced insulation, powerful HVAC and snow and ice management equipment.”
The trains are controlled by Hitachi Rail’s SelTrac™ Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) signaling technology, developed in Toronto and selected by Mosaic. “Reliability on the line will be enhanced through the built in intelligence and real-time communication with the control centers,” according to Hitachi Rail. “The system is also equipped with automatic train protection (ATP) to prevent collisions and speeding, and emergency braking and fail-safe mechanisms are built into the trains. The new system also requires much less trackside infrastructure and cables. It has modular equipment that can be swapped out in minutes, making maintenance and upgrades much less disruptive and more cost effective. This modular system reduces future maintenance costs and significantly cuts the need for future line closures for signals work and the associated disruption for transit users.”
Line 6 Finch West construction began in 2019. While it was originally expected to launch in 2021, the date was “pushed back for various reasons, including vehicle delivery delays, the pandemic and a lawsuit,” according to the Toronto Star. The line “has leapfrogged the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, despite starting construction eight years after it,” the newspaper reported Nov. 24. “The new Line 6 is just over 10 km long, with 18 stops and all but [two] station[s] above ground. Eglinton, by comparison, is 19 km long with 25 stops and has both underground and street-level sections.” Metrolinx and TTC, it said, “have yet to provide an opening date for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.” But on Dec. 5, the Government of Ontario said the Eglinton project reached Substantial Completion, and independent engineers verified the line is ready for service. Full operational control of the line is being transferred to the TTC, which will determine the start date of passenger service in early 2026 with the support of Metrolinx.
Finch West is projected to carry 12 million riders annually by 2031.
“We are thrilled to welcome customers on board the new Line 6 Finch West,” TTC CEO Mandeep S. Lali said. “Since January, the TTC has worked tirelessly, 24/7, with Metrolinx to operate tens of thousands of test train-hours to ensure a safe and reliable experience. Now, with independent certification confirming the line’s readiness, we are excited and fully prepared to begin this new chapter in Toronto transit. I want to thank our staff, our partners, and the community for their dedication and patience throughout the testing period. We are committed to delivering a safe, reliable, and outstanding customer experience on Line 6 from day one.”
“We look forward to welcoming customers on board Line 6 Finch West from December 7,” TTC Chair Jamaal Myers said. “This is the most significant expansion of Toronto’s transit network since the Spadina subway extension [opened in 2017], and it will bring faster, more reliable service to thousands of riders every day. Line 6 will help connect communities, support local jobs, and play a real role in reducing congestion across our city by giving people a faster, more dependable alternative to driving. I want to thank our partners at Metrolinx and the Province of Ontario for their collaboration in bringing this project over the finish line.”
“The opening of Line 6 Finch West is a transformative moment for Toronto,” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said. “Line 6 Finch West will connect northwest Toronto communities, support local businesses, and make it easier for people to get to work, school, and home. I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to deliver this project. Together, we are fighting congestion and building a more connected, accessible, and sustainable city.”
“Alstom is proud to deliver rail-mobility solutions that are engineered and manufactured in Ontario,” said Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom Americas. “We thank our clients, Metrolinx and the TTC, for their trust and long-term partnership. We are delighted to contribute to the development of Toronto’s booming public transit system with best-in-class mobility technology, made by Canadians, for Canadians.”
“We have been developing cutting-edge rail technology out of Toronto for 50 years, now the choice for leading transit systems around the world,” said Ziad Rizk, Managing Director at Hitachi Rail. “Our first SelTrac™ deployment was on Scarborough’s Line 3 in 1985, and now 40 years later, Line 6 Finch West is entering service with our made-in-Canada technology. We look forward to Toronto transit users experiencing the benefits of our technology with faster, more reliable, more frequent, and more comfortable journeys. I congratulate everyone involved for reaching this milestone.”
